Side posture chiropractic adjusting table



u l A. n. MUELLER 2,472,

SIDE POSTURE CHIROLRACTIG ADJUSTING TABLE Filed Oct. 51, 1946 5Sheets-Sheet l I m/entar ALFRED I. MUELLER toey Jane 14. v a, MUELLER,4?Z,?

snm POSTURE CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTING TABLE Filed Oct. 31, 1942s s She etS--Shee't 2 ,aml'pbb ufti" ALFR ED 1. MUELLER Hum 7;, K949. u, M E ZAYKWSSIDE PQ'STURE CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTING TABLE Fi16d 0011. 51, 1945 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor AAF'REP I. M/ELLER Patented June 7, 1949 SIDEPOSTURE CHIROPRACTIC ADJ USTIN G TABLE Alfred I. Mueller, Hoopeston,Ill.

Application October31, 1946, Serial No. 706,905

Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in chiropractors tables for useespecially, although not necessarily, in chiropractic treatment with thepatient in side posture position thereon.

The usual chiropractors table necessitates that a patient mounting thesame must, in assuming a side posture, reclining position, with the legsbent, lower the body from an upright sitting position with the legsdisposed over the side edge of the table, and raise the legs onto thetable. Many patients find this very difficult to accomplish and, in thecase of severe back and leg injuries, next to impossible.

Having the foregoing in mind, it is the primary object of my inventionto provide a chiropractors side posture table equipped for mounting, bythe patient in a sitting position and for lowering of the patient insuch position to .a side posture position without any efiort on the partof the patient.

Another object is to provide in such a table for varying the level atwhich the patient sits, prior to lowering, in accordance with thestature of the patient, so that the legs will be in correctly bentposition.

Another object is to provide for tilting the body in sitting position toassist in properly relaxing the legs.

Still another object is to provide in such tables, a side posturehead-rest adjustable against the head of the patient while seated andaccording to the shoulder width of the patient to accurately align thespine before the patient is lowered and obtain proper head posture.

Still another object is to provide in a chiropractors side posturetable, a body rest adapted to raise the legs of the sitting patient offthe floor and to adequately support the legs of patients of differentsizes while the patient is being lowered into the side posture position.

Still another object is to provide for hydraulic adjustment of the partsof the table under easy control.

Other and subordinate objects, also comprehended by my invention,together with the precise nature of my improvements, and the advantagesthereof, will be readily understood when the succeeding description andclaims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and formingpart of this specification.

-In saiddrawings Figure 1' is aview'in perspective of my improvedchiropractor s table with a patient illustrated thereon in correct sideposture position and represented in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal central section.

Figure 3 is a view in top plan of the base, the body rest and head restbeing shown in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a view in bottom plan of the top with the body rest and headrest thereon.

Figure 5 is a view in vertical longitudinal section showing the bodyrest swung upwardly into vertical position.

Figure 6 is a viewin transverse section taken in the line 6--'o ofFigure 2 and drawn to a larger scale,

Figure 7 is a retail view in transverse section taken on the line 'l-1in Figure 5 and drawn to a larger scale, and

Figure 8 is a view in perspective of one of the seat control pressureand pressure relief valves.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, my improved chiropractors table,as shown therein, comprises an elongated, hollow, box-like base I withcorner legs 2 and which is substantially spatulate in shape, in topplan, to provide a laterally widened end 3 thereon at the inferior, ortail end, of the table, as best shown in Figure 3.

A skeleton table top 4 of the same shape as the base I is hinged at theinferior, or tail, end thereof to the end 3 of the base I by a cross rod5 extending through side flanges 6 on the top 4 and through the sides I.of the base I, said top 4 being vertically swingable on said rod 5 froman overlying position of rest on said base I into a vertical position atthe inferior, or tail, end of the table. At the superior, or head, endof the top 4, a rela-- tively narrower well forming casing '8 is formedon said top and which is adapted, in the rest position of said top 4, tobe lowered into the base l. In the rear of the well forming easing 8, apair of longitudinal laterally spaced bottom ribs 9 extend along the top4 upon opposite sides of the longitudinal center of said top and inclosely spaced relation.

Surmounting the top 4, and suitably fixed thereon, is a suitably paddedbody rest .10, also substantially spatulate in shape to provide .awidened inferior, or tail, end J l thereon. The body rest l0 extendsrearwardly from substantially the well forming casing 8 and issubstantially wider throughout said end H than the top l, for a purposepresently seen, with said end ll adapted to overhang the correspondingends of the top 4 and base l when the top 4 .is at rest. The purpose ofthis overhang will presently be seen.

A seat l2 of generally square form and suitably padded constructionismounted, in a manner to be described, on the body rest Ill to extendat a right angle from the end ll of said rest in the approximate centerof said end I I.

The mounting for the seat I2 comprises r angled seat post I3 extendedthrough a lo tudinal slot I4 in the widened end I I of the l ody restII], in the longitudinal center thereof, said post providing on one sideof the angle thereof, a plunger of a hydraulic jack, designated a unit,by the numeral I5, the other element of said jack being a closedcylinder I5 suitably fixed in said end I I of the body rest I in axialalignment with the longitudinal center of said rest, said cylinder beingenclosed in a chamber ll formed in the end II of the body rest If] asbest shown in Figure 2. The seat post I3, on the other side of the anglethereof, projects out of said slot I4 at a right angle to the body restI I], and the seat I2 is mounted on said post by sleeve bearings I8suitably fixed to the seat I2 and providing for tilting of said seat onthe post I3 about an axis at a right angle to the body rest ID. As willbe apparent, the described hydraulic jack I prc-- vides for slidingadjustment of the seat post I3 longitudinally of the body rest I0, saidpost play-- ing in the slot I4 during such adjustment andcorrespondingly adjusting the seat I2 relative to the body rest.

A spring biased latch bolt IS, in a cylinder 2%] on the bottom of onesleeve bearing I8, and which is adapted to snap into a socket 2I in theseat post I3, provides for locking the seat I2 in normal, level positionagainst tilting. A head 22 on the latch bolt I9 provides for manuallyunlocking the seat I2 by a pull on said bolt.

A head rest 23 of rectangular shape, and suitably stuffed form,surmounts the top 4, in front of the body rest I0, and overlies the wellforming casing 8 in longitudinal alignment with the body rest III.

A pair of front and rear hydraulic jacks 24, upstanding from the bottomof the well forming casing 8 support the head rest 23, said jacks 24, 25being arranged in the longitudinal center of the top 4 and head rest 23with the plungers 23, 2'2

thereof pivoted, as at 28, 29, to depending lugs 30, 3| on said rest 23so that said rest is vertically swingable on either plunger 26, 27, fortilting adjustment of the head rest forwardly or rearwardly.

The front jack 24 is pivoted, as at 32, in the well forming casing 8 toswing forwardly and rearwardly and thus compensate for tilting adjustment of the head rest 23. The rear jack 25 is rigid with the bottom ofthe well forming casing 8. Obviously, the head rest 23 may be adjustedvertically while being maintained horizontal, by said jacks 24, 25, andcorrespondingly adjusted when the same is swung, together with the bodyrest I0, into vertical position for a purpose presently seen.

Returning now to the top 4, for swinging said top and body rest Ill intovertical position, or into rest position, a hydraulic jack 33 isprovided in the base I to incline upwardly and rearwarc'ily from thebottom of said base with its cylinder 34 pivoted at the bottom endthereof, as at 35, to a lug 36 on said bottom of the base I, so thatsaid jack may swing in a vertical plane, and its plunger 31 is pivoted,as at 38, between a pair of ears 39 depending from the aforementionedribs 9 forwardly of the pivot rod 5.

The hydraulic jacks I5, 24, 25 and 33 are oper ated and controlled bythe following means.

A suitable electric motor 40 is provided in the base I, on the bottom ofthe same, and which is operatively connected by the armature shaft 4|thereof, and a friction clutch 42, to a suitable pump 43 in said base I.The motor and the pump G3 are preferably arranged forwardly of thehydraulic jack 33. The motor 40 is designed for plug-in connection, inany suitable manner to the house current. A fluid storage tank 44 isprovided in the base I adjacent to the inferior, or front, end thereofwith a feed pipe 45 extending therefrom to the intake side of the pump43. A flexible pressure line 48 extends from the output side of the pump43, rearwardly in the base I, and then forwardly along the top 4 betweenthe ribs 9 in hangers 41, and then through the well forming casing 8 tothe bottom of the front jack 24 with a branch line 48 to the bottom ofthe rear jack 25. A branch pressure line 49 extends from the pressureline 45 to the bottom of the cylinder 34 of the hydraulic jack 33. Abranch pressure line 50 extends from the pressure line 46 into thechamber I! to the bottom of the cylinder I5 of the hydraulic jack I 5. Apressure relief line 5I extends from the bottom of the cylinder 34 ofthe jack 33 to the storage tank 44. A flexible pressure relief line 52extends from the bottom of the front jack 24, out of the well formingcasing 8, along the top 4, between the ribs 9 and through the hangers 4?to the storage tank 44, with a branch pressure relief line 55 to thebottom of the rear jack 25. A branch pressure relief line 56 extendsfrom the bottom of the cylinder I6 of the jack I5 to the pressure reliefline 52.

A pair of body rest control valves 51, 5B are interposed in the branchpressure line 49 and in the pressure relief line 5I to which a pair ofpressure and pressure relief foot pedals 59, 60, at one side of the baseI, are operatively connected by links BI and cranks GI.

Duplicate pairs of head rest control valves are provided, there being inthe well forming casing 8, in one pair, a pressure control valve 62 inthe pressure line 46 for the front jack 24, and a pressure relief valve63 in the pressure relief line thereto, and, in the other pair, apressure control valve 64 for the rear jack 25 in the branch pressureline 48 thereto, and a pressure relief control valve 65 in the branchpressure relief line 53 to said jack 25.

Duplicate pairs of head rest control hand levers are provided atopposite sides of the top 4 beneath the head rest 23, there being a pairof pressure control levers 66 on opposite sides of said top 4operatively connected by a crank shaft 66', a crank 61, and a link 58 tothe pressure control valve 62, a similar pair of hand levers 69 with asimilar crank shaft 10, crank II and link I2 connecting the same to thepressure control valve 64, another similar pair of pressure relief handlevers I3 operatively connected by a crank shaft I4, a crank l5 and alink I6 to the pressure relief valve 63, and still another similar pairof hand levers 11 with a crank shaft I8, a crank I9, and a linkconnecting the same to the pressure relief valve 65.

A pair of seat control pressure and pressure relief valves BI, 8| aresuitably connected in the chamber IS in the branch pressure line 50 andthe branch relief line 55, respectively, on the jack I5.

A pair of seat control hand levers 82, 83 are provided on each side ofthe end II of the body rest Ill. The levers 82 are connected in pairs tothe pressure relief valve 8| by shafts 84 and universal joints 85 insaid body rest Ill, and the levers 83 are similarly connected to thepressure control valve B l the shafts being. shown in dotted lines inFigure 4, at 86. p I

Referring now to the-use'and operation of the described invention. Thebody're'st I is swung into a vertical position, as shown-in Figure 5, byrendering the jack 33 operative under control of the .foot lever 59.This swings the seat 12 into horizontal position for sez'iting thepatient 81 thereon. Theseat i2 may'next beadjusted-vertically, undercontrol of either of the hand levers 8'2 .or'either hand lever831iorrendering. thejack I'Sappropriately effectiveto" either raise orflower the'seat' l2asma'y "berequired; When the patient 811'sbeingseated, the seat 12" may be unlocked for ti-lting'iorwardly' or'rearwardly to i facilitate x the'patients assuming, primarily; aproperse'ating posture relaxing the legs, and after the seat has beenproperly adjusted vertically, said seat l2 may be locked in untiltedposition. With the patient 81 seated, the head rest 23 may be adjustedwith the head of the patient 81 against the same, for obtaining properhead posture in alignment of the spine. The head rest 23 may be adjustedby tilting the same laterally, or not, as may be desired, under controlof the hand levers 66, 69, 13, 11, selectively, to thereby render thefront and rear jacks 24, 25 operative as occasion may require. The bodyrest Hi may then be swung down into horizontal rest position with thepatient 81 thereon in proper prearranged side posture position as shownin Figure 1. The downward swinging of the body rest I U and the patient81 is accomplished by operating the foot pedals 60 to relieve the jack33 of pressure, gradually, and pushing the body rest I 0 down while suchpressure is being relieved. As the body rest l0 moves down, the widenedend l'l thereof lifts the patients legs oiT the floor and supports thesame after being lifted in properly bent position for side postureadjustment of the patient.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sufiice to impart a clearunderstanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification,without departing from the inventive concept, and right is hereinreserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a table of the class described, a base, a

body rest pivoted on said base for vertical swinging into uprightposition and for lowering into substantially horizontal position andhaving a tail end portion disposed lowermost when said rest is inupright position, a seat on said portion at a right angle thereto forsupporting a patient in sitting position when said rest is upright andwith the legs of the patient bent and one side of the body of thepatient opposed to said rest for lowering of the patient in sitting sideposture position with the body reclining against said rest and the legsbent, said portion being widened relative to the remainder of said restat both sides of said rest and said seat being relatively narrower thansaid portion and disposed in the longitudinal center of said rest toprovide for supporting in bent position the legs of the patient beinglowered with the patient occupying the seat with either side opposed tosaid rest, and pressure means for swinging said rest.

2. In a table of the class described, a base, a body rest pivoted onsaid base for vertical swinging into upright position and for loweringinto substantially horizontal position and having a tail end portiondisposed lowermost when said nestle-in upright positionascent on sa idlportion at'a right-angle thereto Ior'supporting a patient ,sittgrposi'tionrwhenwsaid rest is npright and with theleg-s of; the patientbent and one "side" :of the body of the patient upposed totsaid rest iorlowering of" in sitting side posture position-with the body recliningagainstsaid rest and the: iegs: bent; said portion being widenedrelative to the remainder of said rest at both sides F01: said rest andsaid seat-being relatively narrower than said por-tionand disposed inthe longitudinal center of said rest to" provide for supporting;inbentposition the le'gsof the patient being-"lowered withthepatient-occupy-ing' the seat withleitheriside opposedf-tosaidseat,asideposture head rest at the opposite endof the body rest adiiistablefor obtaining different positions of the head of the patient prior tolowering of the patient, and pressure means for swinging said body restand adjusting the head rest.

3. In a table of the class described, a base, a body rest pivoted onsaid base for vertical swinging into upright position and for loweringinto substantially horizontal position and having a tail end portiondisposed lowermost when said rest is in upright position, a seat on saidportion at a right angle thereto for supporting a patient in sittingposition when said rest is upright and with the legs of the patient bentand one side of the body of the patient opposed to said rest forlowering of the patient in sitting side posture position with the bodyreclining against said rest and the legs bent, said portion beingwidened relative to the remainder of said rest at both sides of saidrest and said seat being relatively narrower than said portion anddisposed in the longitudinal center of said rest to provide forsupporting in bent position the legs of the patient being lowered withthe patient occupying the seat with either side opposed to said rest,said seat being adjustable along said rest to position the patientlongitudinally of the body rest.

4. In a table of the class described, a base, a body rest pivoted onsaid base for vertical swinging into upright position and for loweringinto substantially horizontal position and having a tail end portiondisposed lowermost When said rest is in upright position, a seat on saidportion at a right angle thereto for supporting a patient in sittingposition when said rest is upright and with the legs of the patient bentand one side of the body of the patient opposed to said rest forlowering of the patient in sitting side posture position with the bodyreclining against said rest and the legs bent, said portion beingwidened relative to the remainder of said rest at both sides of saidrest and said seat being relatively narrower than said portion anddisposed in the longitudinal center of said rest to provide forsupporting in bent position the legs of the patient being lowered withthe patient occupying the seat with either side opposed to said rest, aside posture head rest at the opposite end of the body rest adjustablefor obtaining different positions of the head of the patient prior tolowering of the patient, said seat being adjustable along the body restto position the head of the patient while seated relative to said headrest.

5. In a table of the class described, a base, a body rest pivoted onsaid base for vertical swinging into upright position and for loweringinto substantially horizontal position and having a tail end portondisposed lowermost when said rest is in upright position, a seat on saidportion at a right angle thereto for supporting a patient in 7 sittingposition when said rest is upright and with the legs of the patient bentand one side of the body of the patient opposed to said rest forlowering of the patient in sitting side posture position with the bodyreclining against said rest and the legs bent, said portion beingwidened relative to the remainder of said rest at both sides of saidrest and said seat being relatively narrower than said portion anddisposed in the longitudinal center of said rest to provide forsupporting in bent position the legs of the patient being lowered withthe patient occupying the seat with either side opposed to said rest,said seat being pivotally mounted on said portion for tilting sidewiseto adjust the body of the patient forwardly or rea wardly into selectedposition relative to said rest. 15 2343913 ALFRED I. MUELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 920,500 Thomas May 4, 19091,194,939 Bishop Aug. 15, 1916 1,491,039 Voina-Hansen Apr. 22, 19241,522,406 Bargen et al Jan. 6, 1925 1,525,011 Stoltz Feb. 3, 19251,925,425 Wilent Sept. 5, 1933 2,092,266 Talas Sept. 7, 1937 2,217,782Bell Oct. 15, 1940 Morey et a1 May 20, 1941

